I'm Doin' the Happy Dog Dance!

Morning Glory growing on dried brush.

Good afternoon, All.  I do not like to keep secrets.  No, no, no!  Now all of ya'll that have told me secrets and said "Please, don't repeat this!", fear not!  I will not repeat what you have confided in me.   You know what I mean, something in the planning stage that you are so excited about that you tend to have a goofy smile on your face all the time and your friends and loved ones are beginning to wonder why you are so distracted.  You must be in love, well, yes, with an idea or dream, or I suppose, a person.  Anyway, I have been like that for the last couple weeks.  I have not been able to sleep at night (except with the help of herbs) because I plan my secret all day, then I plan my secret all night.  Or at least that is how it seems!  So, let me fill you in on my big secret and maybe, just maybe, I will be able to sleep tonight!

Mullein
We will talk about this herb
next week!

I will be opening an herb company in Winnsboro, Texas in the next couple weeks.  Yee Haw!  I finally got to tell the world! I feel so much better!

This could be Chi and me
doing the Happy Dog Dance!

Okay, now for explantations.....if you have ever been to the Winnsboro Farmers Market  






and stopped by my table, you know that I always have fresh eggs, granola, dried herbs, tea blends, tinctures, salves and herbal skin care products.  Besides all the Texas native edible plants that I bring along each week.  So, StarDragonfly Herb Company will be an extension of my Farmers Market table.  It will be my workshop where I create my products, a retail store for StarDragonfly and Sister Susan's products, and other natural or healthy stuff.  Things such as soaps, candles, honey, pet stuff (well, for now, a doggie herbal shampoo and kitty catnip toys).  Eventually, we will add more health products, such as vitamins and minerals, essential oils, bulk foods, natural farming stuff........but, that part of the store is still in the dream phase.

Star Dragonfly Herb Company is located on Elm Street between the State Farm office and Hornbuckle's Flower shop.
The store hours will be...........

Moonflower
Datura wrightii
Scared thorn-apple, Jimsonweed, Thorn apple
Datura, Angel Trumpet, Sacred datura
Texas native wildflower
All parts of this plant are poisonous!

Wednesday-Friday................10:00 am- 6:00 pm
Saturday............................... 10:00 am - 2:00 pm        
Every 3rd Friday....................10:00 am - 8:00 pm

You can contact me at 903-588-4313.

And please, let us know what you would like to see in StarDragonfly Herb Company.   Especially, for my readers in the Winnsboro and surrounding areas.......are you interested in a certain essential oil, health food product, crystal deodorants (yes, there is such a thing), what do you have to travel clear to Dallas or Tyler to buy or have shipped mail order?  We will be happy to try and stock these items, so our customers can save gas money and travel time.

Just a little more about my "dream come true" herb shop!

I would like to start a Mystery Book Club that meets at StarDragonfly Herb Company one Thursday night of each month.  Either the 1st or the last Thursday.  I would like to see this book club have a great time with the cozy mystery book genre that deals with herbs or tea.  Examples:

Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayle's series.  China is an Herbalist in the fictional Central Texas town of Pecan Springs.  China owns an herb shop and gets herself into all kinds of interesting situations in her pursuit of bad guys and gals.  The books contain recipes and information on herbs.  She has a new series that is about southern women gardeners called the Darling Dahlias.  A fun series!

Laura Child's Tea Shop Mystery series.  Her main character is Theodosia Browning, a lovely tea shop owner in Charleston, South Carolina and her super dog, Earl Grey.  Theo is friends with an unusual cast of characters Drayton, the tea master and Haley, her in house chef extraordinaire.


I spent a delightful afternoon last Sunday researching other herb or plant "cozy" mysteries that would be fun to read........

Bois d'arc tree fruit
Osage Orange
Maclura pomifera

Ann Ripley......gardening
Joyce and Jim Laverne.......gardening
Mary Freeman..........landscaping company
Kate Collins..........flower shop
Kathy Lynn Emerson.........Lady Susanna Appleton, herbalist when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne
Vicky Lane..........Elizabeth Goodweather, owner of a flower/herb farm in North Carolina
Ann McMillan.....Civil War Mystery series with a Virginia herbalist
Suzanne Young...Edna Davies amateur herbalist in Rhode Island
Sheila Pim.....Irish Village gardening mysteries
Ellis Peters...The Cadfael Chronicles, 12th century Welsh Benedictine monk who is an herbalist.

Wow!  I have only read Laura Childs and Susan Wittig Albert.  I am so looking forward to finding these other authors!

Okay, enough for today!  Stop by and see me when you are in Winnsboro.  I will try to always have a pot of herbal tea brewed and ready for sippin'!  And hey, as much as I love cookies....well, you never know what yummy baked good may be hidden among the herbs. Next week, I have a really good summer vegetable soup recipe for you and we will talk about Mullein, a very versatile plant.  But, if you have been reading the posts this year, you know that we never know what is going to happen around here and I just love to share our life on the farm with you!  Herbally, Susan